AEO vs GEO vs SEO: What B2B Tech Companies Need to Show Up in Google and AI Answers
Buyers now search Google and ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity before they talk to sales. Here's the difference between SEO, AEO and GEO, what each one needs, and how press coverage feeds all three.
Short answer: SEO (search engine optimization) gets your pages ranking in Google's results. AEO (answer engine optimization) gets your content used as the direct answer in AI Overviews, answer boxes and AI assistants. GEO (generative engine optimization) gets your company named and cited when tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity write an answer. B2B tech companies need all three, and all three depend on two things: clear pages that answer buyer questions, and credible third-party coverage of your company.
At a glance
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in Google's results | Be the direct answer | Be named and cited in AI-written answers |
| Where it shows | Google and Bing results pages | Google AI Overviews, answer boxes, voice and AI assistants | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot |
| What it needs | Indexable pages, relevant content, links | Clear question-and-answer content, structured data, specific facts | Third-party lists, coverage and reviews, plus specific pages AI can quote |
| How you measure it | Rankings, clicks, impressions | Answer appearances, AI Overview citations | How often AI tools name and cite you for buyer questions |
What AI tools actually read
In October 2026, Jamco PR asked ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews 15 real B2B buying questions and logged every source they cited: 552 in total.
For "best X" questions, about half of the sources were third-party list articles. For "X vs Y" comparisons, about 61% were list and comparison articles. A vendor's own page won mainly when it answered a very specific question directly. When buyers asked about one company by name, the tools leaned on reviews and independent coverage.
What to do for each
- SEO: make sure every important page is indexed, has a clear title and description, and targets a real buyer search
- AEO: answer each buyer question in the first lines of the page, add FAQs, and state facts plainly (prices, timelines, guarantees)
- GEO: get on the third-party lists and publications AI tools cite for your category, and build reviews on the sites they read
- All three: keep company facts consistent everywhere, and publish one specific page per high-intent buyer question
Why press coverage matters for all three
Coverage on recognisable publications earns links for SEO, gives answer engines trusted facts about your company, and is one of the third-party sources generative engines cite when they build a shortlist. That's why PR and AI search work best together rather than as separate projects.
Where Jamco PR fits
Jamco PR guarantees placements on Business Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, AP News and 35+ other publications, with the first placement live in as little as 24 hours and any placement that doesn't go live within 60 days replaced at no extra cost. Alongside coverage, Jamco PR helps clients with SEO and AI search optimization: indexing, page titles and descriptions, answer-first FAQs and the third-party sources AI tools read.
Recent client results
Real Jamco PR placements you can read today. Most clients see their first article within 14 days.
Know a tech company that needs this? Refer them and earn 10% of their first payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between AEO, GEO and SEO?
SEO gets pages ranking in Google's results. AEO gets your content used as the direct answer in AI Overviews and assistants. GEO gets your company named and cited when tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity write an answer.
Do B2B tech companies need AEO and GEO?
Yes, if buyers research vendors with AI tools. AI answers lean heavily on third-party lists, coverage and reviews, so companies without them are often left off AI shortlists.
Does PR help with GEO?
Yes. Coverage on recognisable publications is one of the third-party sources AI tools cite, and it also earns links for SEO and trusted facts for answer engines.
How do you measure GEO?
Ask the AI tools your buyers use the same set of buying questions every month, and record whether your company is named, cited, and which sources the tools used.
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